January S&T Report

 Welcome to the January S&T report.

So much has been done, in the last two month. At both Dalfaber and Boat Of Garten. The main work has been carried out at Dalfaber. With the road lights installed before the Christmas holiday session. This was achieved with the road lights been connected to a temporary control cabinet that has been loaned to us, to see us through the Santa session. The road deck and civil’s work at the crossing has been completed. Now it is down to us to get the signalling equipment installed before our main session in March.

Winter conditions in Aviemore with the civil’s completed and the road lights up and working by a local control unit for the Santa trains.

The weather shield that has been made to protect the audio warning device, not a standard part. Something that we have come up with to help protect it from the Scottish weather.

Busy drilling the rails for the bonding of the track circuits. The drilling and bonding has now been completed. Now it is time to install the track tail cables and treadles.

An example of the track bonding. It’s not much but when you have over sixty joints to bond up it takes some time to complete.

This is the south remote end of the track circuit. With both of the strike in treadles installed and track tail cables in the process of being fitted. Just in front you can see the insulated joints that have been installed by the Pway. 

In addition to the road lights, with the large foot fall over the crossing, the installation of red men for pedestrians are required to be fitted. Hear busy getting the position that the hole needs to be drilled in for the light to be fitted 

Drilling in progress with a specially made bracket to mount the magdrill, to drill the hole.

First of the red men installed, still three more to be done. It should also be pointed out that the road lights have now been fitted with long hoods. This will help with sunlight issues that have been reported in the past at this crossing.

The control cabinet for the crossing was delivered at the station and required to be lifted on a wagon and taken down to Dalfaber to be installed.

Once loaded it was slowly taken up to Dalfaber.

Now unloaded and in its final position. 

With the REB fitted it was then the turn of the barrier pedestals to be loaded and delivered to Dalfaber.

This is the barrier pedestal been lifted and about to be fitted in position.

Up side pedestal fitted in position, boom arm still to go on.

Down side pedestal fitted in position. With the public signage fitted. Hole drilled and cable run for the red man to give pedestrian warning 

End of day picture looking South up the line.

End of day picture looking North Down the line.

Last one for tonight looking up the hill towards Aviemore. Only visual thing still to be fitted is the boom arms on the pedestals. But that is for another day.

Next project, next story! Parts getting ready for Boat of Garten.

November S&T Report.

 Unfortunately things are moving so fast by the time this is published it will most likely be out of date. There is currently two large projects been tackled, with a few small jobs been completed as well. Follow the story of what is going on. Starting at Boat of Garten.

With the completion of the lead off table at Boat of Garten South cabin, the works trains are now able to depart using the signals once again. Hear we have our class 37 heading to Aviemore before returning with more spoil form the Aviemore running shed project.

Apart from requiring a clean up and the cranks needing a paint. This is the completed lead off table at Boat of Garten South. With all the points and all the signals, now reconnected. Plus the new FPL rodding in for the to be installed FPLs on the up line. Which will allow us to make the up line bi-directional.

Not very signalling related but with the testing of the finished lead off table. The works train had arrived from Aviemore and was needing to run round its train and shunt it into the yard. Which allowed for the testing of all the signals to be completed. With great delight everything worked as designed. Plus the pull of some levers definitely feels lighter than what is remembered.

Moving on to Dalfaber all the concrete way beams have been installed, the track level has been raised and packed to the new required height. Which was completed by the 21st of November. With all that been completed work could then start on the installation of the road deck. Construction of the road deck starts from the middle and works out with each part been bolted together as you can see been done in this picture.

A view of the almost completed road deck. With just the end clamps left to install.

On the 23rd of November SSE arrived as planned. With this the power cubical was connected to the national grid bringing power to crossing 

Off site, within our storage compound. It was decided it was a good idea to have a trial fitting of the post to wig wag boards (road lights) and audible warning unit. Which all fitted together as expected.

Back on site at the crossing the pre-cast foundations for each pedestal was put into place, with the aid of our own road railer machine. 

Last weekend the possession of the line was lifted for the weekend, to allow the railways Santa trains to pass. The road traffic was controlled by the road light that have been on site since the work began. The train was under instructions to approach at caution, expecting to stop and only continue after receiving a green flag from the level crossings attendant who had turned all road light to red.

Last one for Dalfaber. The temporary location cases that been loaned to use from external sources have been installed which will power and control the level crossing until the delayed REB is supplied from Unipart in February. This will be installed before the main running season begins.

Moving on to Aviemore Speyside. Our signallers have shown a great amount of care for our little cabin. The floor has been painted, levers painted and polished. It’s great to see the cabin been adopted and looked after by operations. Allowing us to concentrate on other jobs. Thank you.

Albeit it was in October. The disc for coming out of the carriage shed has been replaced.  With what is the ex Crianlarich down sidings disc. 

Last one for Aviemore Speyside. The signalling scheme is completed for the time being. With the installation of the last shunt signal. Controlling movements out of the shed area and over our own Speyside UWC. 

That’s you all up to date. If you have time to help us out and volunteer, please get in contact through the website.

Dalfaber Monday of week 3

At the end of play on Monday night we are into the third week of the Dalfaber project. With more visible signs of the New Crossing becoming evident around the site. Yesterday saw the first concert been poured on the site. This was for the YO Road Traffic Lights Signal base. With the same batch of concrete the foundation for the Electrical Supply cubical (SSE meter cabinet) was made. As the day was coming to an end the foundation concrete for the edge beams to the new level crossing deck on the North side of the Road were also laid. 

First of the concrete been poured for the road lights.

Power cubical been set up.

Foundations for the power cubical been laid.

Top been cleaned off.

Foundations of the edge beams been laid

External renovation of the Speyside Signal Box at Aviemore

 External renovation of the Speyside Signal Box at Aviemore over 11 & 12th November.

By Colin Frost

A request had been made for a damaged step on the staircase to be repaired, so with the old step removed, a convenient plank of timber was found, this was cut to size, slotted into place and securely screwed home.

The forth support for under the veranda was also there to be installed, so with the original post removed a hole was dug, concrete mixed, and pored and left to set.  Then the new post was cut to size and secured in place.

The newly fabricated staircase, which is presently stored under cover, is to be fitted next spring, so we took measurements of the timber that will be needed for the job when we return.

By Jim Hardy and Colin Frost.

Boat of Garten South project

Along with all the work been done at Dalfaber. Work is also progressing at Boat of Garten South.  The lead off table at Boat South has been in poor condition for some time. With cranks and pulley wheels becoming un-secure, leading to excessive movement and signal equipment not working as it should. Now is the time to correct these issues, as there is very few trains running so minimal effect will be felt by the rest of the railway..

The old table striped down ready for the work to begin.

Georgie and the Road railer making light work at removing the old table.

Think, how much work and time this would have taken without this machine. Two persons and one hour the old table was out.

The hole cleaned out, levelled out and dug to the correct depth.

This work was mostly done using the machine and its bucket. Then just a little work with the shovels at the end to take out the lumps.

The new table that was built month before, carefully been lifted into position.

With a little bit of work new table in the correct position. Set to the right height. Plus as level as can be hoped for.

Replacement components looked out, cleaned and prepared for fitting.

New cranks with rodding starting to be reconnected. Still lots to do but progressing well.

Under the frame new vertical cranks have been install. With 17 points moving to 20 and the new FPLs will be on 19.

This is only the beginning of this work! With lots still to be done. Interlocking changes plus the installation of a new lattice signal post on the Up line still to come!

Dalfaber report for mid week night shift 9th November

New Rails and sleepers through the Crossing Deck Area installed on Wednesday Nightshift together with Under Road ducts for Signalling and power cables.

New rails and sleepers installed, still to be raised to new height.

Cable ducts installed during the day shift.

Manhole chambers installed Thursday and concreted in Thursday Nightshift meaning we now have a continuous underground duct under the Track and under the Road.

New cable chamber connecting the duct.

New Rubber Deck Panels have arrived in our Yard and the VR video showing how to install can be viewed in the following link

New strain units now delivered ready to be installed. When the time is right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_YKpnuJfwo

STRAIL 3D Animation www.youtube.com